Polly Iyer - Diana Racine 03 - Backlash Read Online Free PDF

someone did the city a favor.”
    “He’s the guy, all right,” Cash said. “You think this is a vigilante killing?”
    “No telling. Got an address?”
    “Yup. Want me to track him down?”
    “Wait until Diana gets here to confirm he’s the same guy.”
    “Right,” Cash said.
    He went into his office and called Diana. Her groggy voice set him on alert. “What’s the matter? Are you okay?”
    “Taking a nap.”
    “Sorry I woke you, but I think Cash found your victim. Looks exactly how you described him, tattoo and all. You up for coming to the station?”
    “Give me an hour. I’m a mess.”
    “Take your time. I still have work to do. Oh, and dress for an evening out. After you check out the photo, we’ll hit Kitty’s Kabaret for a drink and some music, then have dinner.”
    “And a little snooping?”
    “What do you think?”

Chapter Seven
The Famous Kid Psychic
     
    “ W ow , Ms. Racine, you’re da bomb,” Willy Cash said when Diana entered the office. “You performing somewhere tonight?”
    Diana laughed. “No, Willy, no more performing for me. After I check the picture you found, the lieutenant is taking me out for a little fun and then to dinner after.”
    “He better not let you out of his sight or someone might snatch you away.”
    She remembered the time someone did snatch her. Cash’s face flushed the color of watermelon. He remembered too.
    “Um, I mean ―”
    “I know what you mean. Don’t worry, I won’t let your boss out of my sight.”
    Lucier joined them. “What’s this?”
    “Nothing. Your detective was telling me I looked smashing and that you were a lucky guy.” She winked at Cash, whose cheeks had faded to pale pink.
    “Right you are, Willy.” Lucier took Diana by the arm. “Come in the office.”
    “Yes, lord and master.”
    Lucier snorted. Beecher laughed out loud as he and Cash followed them in.
    Slipping the photo from a folder, Lucier said, “Is this the guy?”
    The man in the mug shot stared at her with eyes the color of silver. She lowered herself into the chair, weakened by the same static face of the dead man in her vision. “Yes, without the bullet hole in his forehead.”
    “Mathieu Soulé. Twenty-three. Spent time in juvie for breaking and entering. He was accused of approaching a teenager in a lewd manner, but she wouldn’t press charges. She should have, because two years ago he was arrested for raping an eleven-year-old girl. A rape kit backed up her story, but the judge threw out the case, saying she asked for it because of what she was wearing.”
    Diana swiveled to search Lucier’s face. “You’re kidding, right?”
    “I wish I were.”
    “My God. What kind of judge ―”
    “A very bad one,” Beecher said.
    “Should’ve bumped off the judge too,” Diana muttered.
    Lucier narrowed his eyes. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
    “Come on. Bet you thought the same thing.”
    Lucier’s cheeks flushed.
    “I knew it. You did.”
    “Doesn’t matter,” Cash said, “because I followed up on this, and shortly after the trial, the judge disappeared. No one’s heard from him since.”
    “Why didn’t I remember that?”
    “I missed it too, Ernie,” Beecher said.
    “Sounds like someone took them both out as a kind of payback,” Cash said, “and with a great deal of patience. Two years worth. Soulé for the rape and the judge for letting him off.”
    “Backlash,” Beecher said. “They dealt with the judge right away. Waited for the kid.”
    “There are consequences for one’s actions,” Lucier said.
    “Or inactions.” Diana saw the men in the room staring at her. “Well, the judge did nothing. That’s inaction in my book.”
    “Theories abound,” Cash said, “like the judge disappeared because his pending divorce would have cost him a fortune, but his bank account hasn’t been touched. Wife got everything. The DA couldn’t pin anything on her though.”
    “What about the girl’s family?” Beecher